Co/CoO heterojunction rich in oxygen vacancies introduced by O2 plasma embedded in mesoporous walls of carbon nanoboxes covered with carbon nanotubes for rechargeable zinc-air battery

Herein,Co/CoO heterojunction nanoparticles(NPs)rich in oxygen vacancies embedded in mesoporous walls of nitrogen-doped hollow carbon nanoboxes coupled with nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes(P-Co/CoOV@NHCNB@NCNT)are well designed through zeolite-imidazole framework(ZIF-67)carbonization,chemical vapor deposition,and O_(2) plasma treatment.As a result,the threedimensional NHCNBs coupled with NCNTs and unique heterojunction with rich oxygen vacancies reduce the charge transport resistance and accelerate the catalytic reaction rate of the P-Co/CoOV@NHCNB@NCNT,and they display exceedingly good electrocatalytic performance for oxygen reduction reaction(ORR,halfwave potential[EORR,1/2=0.855 V vs.reversible hydrogen electrode])and oxygen evolution reaction(OER,overpotential(η_(OER,10)=377mV@10mA cm^(−2)),which exceeds that of the commercial Pt/C+RuO_(2) and most of the formerly reported electrocatalysts.Impressively,both the aqueous and flexible foldable all-solid-state rechargeable zinc-air batteries(ZABs)assembled with the P-Co/CoOV@NHCNB@NCNT catalyst reveal a large maximum power density and outstanding long-term cycling stability.First-principles density functional theory calculations show that the formation of heterojunctions and oxygen vacancies enhances conductivity,reduces reaction energy barriers,and accelerates reaction kinetics rates.This work opens up a new avenue for the facile construction of highly active,structurally stable,and cost-effective bifunctional catalysts for ZABs.

Nanodiamond:a promising metal-free nanoscale material in photocatalysis and electrocatalysis

Benefiting from its surface-rich functional groups,eco-friendliness,impressive electrochemical properties,excellent light absorption,structural tunability at the atomic/morphological level,and ultra-high stability under harsh conditions,nanodiamond has emerged as a promising carbon-based non-metallic material in the field of energy conversion such as electrocatalysis and photocatalysis.Furthermore,nanodiamond,as a new generation of green catalysts,can overcome the poisoning of catalysts by complex pollutants in advanced oxidation processes,thus effectively removing organic matter from water,which is unparalleled in reducing the cost of water purification and avoiding secondary cross-contamination of water by traditional heavy metal-based catalysts.Here,we review the research and development of nanodiamonds as major electrocatalysts and photocatalysts for energy conversion and for air/water treatment for environmental remediation.The relevant properties,trimming strategy,mechanistic understanding,and design principles of nanodiamond as a catalyst are described,as well as the challenges and prospects of this emerging field.